10-16-2003

03LR10 - October 12, 2003

MRF LEADERS' REPORT
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
P.O. Box 1808
Washington, DC 20013-1808
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
wyld@mrf.org (e-mail)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

#03LR10 - MRF LEADERS' REPORT - Ride With The LeadersTM - October 12, 2003

TO: The Leaders of the American Motorcyclists' Rights Movement

FROM: Tom Wyld, VP-Government Relations, Motorcycle Riders Foundation

BIKERS SHOULD PRAISE AND PUSH! The U.S. Senate has expressed their need to "reconnect with constituents." So, let's reconnect! Take this opportunity to PRAISE those who have stepped forward to champion our rights and safety, and PUSH other Senators to adopt our goals as their own. For all-important contact with your U.S. Senators, reconnect with them today (www.senate.gov), schedule a meeting, or ask about their town meetings, so you can be there!

HEALTH CARE. Riders in Minnesota and Maine can PRAISE both their U.S. Senators for signing on as co-sponsors of S. 423, the Senate measure that rescues injured riders health care benefits. ABATE of Wisconsin can PRAISE Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) as the prime sponsor on the Democratic side. All other SMROs should PUSH their U.S. Senators to examine the issue of health care nondiscrimination against motorcyclists. Urge your Senators to side with you and those who pay their premiums and deserve the benefits enjoyed by all others in the employer-provided health care market - by co-sponsoring S. 423!

EPA. As announced at this year's Meeting of the Minds, the MRF briefed the White House and the EPA on continuing questions regarding the highway motorcycle rulemaking. In a process designed to safeguard small business, the EPA excluded independent shops from the process. Senators should be told that independent shops are the smallest of the small volume makers. Moreover, unresolved safety questions should be asked - and answered - by independent research before this rulemaking is finalized. Freedom of Road Riders should PRAISE Senator Kit Bond (R-Missouri) for looking into this issue. All other SMROs should PUSH their U.S. Senators to treat all our concerns seriously - while encouraging federal agencies to answer our questions fully.

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY. PRAISE should go to Senators Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) for championing the heart and soul of the joint MRF-SMRO agenda for motorcycle safety for the reauthorization of TEA-21. In concert with a supremely supportive Senate Environment & Public Works Chairman in Senator Inhofe, Senator Murkowski is ready to roll with the core initiatives of our TEA plan to prevent accidents, thwart injuries and save lives. We encourage ABATE of Alaska and ABATE of Oklahoma to discuss our TEA initiatives and PRAISE Senators Inhofe and Murkowski for their leadership in making motorcycle safety history. Other SMROs should PUSH for our motorcycle safety initiative, urging each and every one of them to support the Murkowski Motorcycle Safety Initiative.

AN IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE TO MOTORCYCLE SAFETY. The regulatory zeal of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was criticized recently not only by an MRF Riders' Alert on the agency's international activities, but also by a prominent Washington newspaper. "Unfortunately, the agency is getting worse under President Bush's appointee, Jeffrey Runge, M.D.," the Washington Times editorialized September 29. "The list of Big Brother initiatives he is pushing makes our alarm bells go off....At every turn, NHTSA takes a stand that more regulation and government harassment is the solution for greater safety."

A recent case in point - and the case we raised at Meeting of the Minds - is NHTSA's inaction on public comments filed in response to its bid for a "study" of the "Characteristics of Motorcycle Operators." While the agency reported to the MRF that it had not completed its review of the public comments filed - the lion's share of which were critical of its proposed "study" of thousands of riders in 7 states - NHTSA told the MRF that it is the agency's "hope to be in the field by Daytona at the latest." That means SMROs should be in the field THIS week - to PUSH their U.S. Senators into asking NHTSA why it is proceeding against the expressed - and so far unanswered - comments of the motorcyclists it seeks to "study."

On our ever-improving web site, www.mrf.org, you will find a "KEY ISSUES" button on the left where background is provided on all the major federal issues. If you need further information, write to MRF (wyld@mrf.org).

Yours for the right to ride, and your friend,

Tom

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(c)All Information contained in this report is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists' rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists' rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists' rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders' rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists' rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists' rights activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS.


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